1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is used particularly in the field of refrigerated display units. The invention can also be used for heated and ambient units, as well as for displays of any kind of goods, such as jewelry, clothes, and telephones.
2. Description of Related Art
Display units for the sale of foodstuffs and non-foodstuffs contain panes made of glass or plastic material. Their function is to isolate products from the surrounding environment and/or to ensure customers do not remove the products. The panes can be attached to a display unit in a number of ways. For example, the panes can be secured to a frame above them, which is supported by uprights, or to a frame below them, which is fixed to the display unit.
There are a number of known opening systems that make use of an overhanging support frame. The production costs of such systems are often high due to customers' needs, both aesthetic and functional. These opening systems can involve front or back frames, as well as varying opening angles of the panes. The hinges used today have a fixed structure such that each hinge is suited to a pane with a particular opening angle, and the uprights can either be in front or behind. Consequently, a variety of different elements must be used, and thus the production costs of these opening systems are high.
Another common problem is keeping insects and dust out of display units, especially outside of business hours. Certain known opening systems contain at least one gasket, which bridges the gap between the gripper that supports the pane and the closing section bar. However, the gasket is fixed to the closing section bar, and the panes are not always completely tight to each other. Since various display units contain different panes, the gripper supporting a particular pane does not always attach to the pane in the same manner. Therefore, the gasket cannot guarantee air tightness in every case.